Knitting machine and method of operating same



Dec. 26, 1944.. F11-PAGE ETAL 2,366,124

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 0F'` OPERATING SAME u Fi1ed Deo'. so, 1942 1o sheets-sheet 1 1 a, T 2947. l T1 'J" a? bveSz-ons FRANK R. PAGE JOHN d. McDONQUGH y ifez'r @Harn/ey@ Dec. 26, 1944.

KNITTING MACHNE AND METHOD OF' OPERATING SAME F. R. PAGE HAI.l 42,366,124 O Filed Dec. 30, 1942 10 Sheets-Sheet 2 Dec. 26,1944.

F. R. PAGE ETAL 2,366,124 KNITTNG MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME r Filed nec. so, 1942 1o sheets-sheet a Dwze, 1944. h F. RPAGE ETAL 2,366,124

` KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed Dec. 30, 19472V 10 Sheets-Sheet 4 72 ya J l ffy .f l YJ' Jizvenas FRANK R. PAGE Dern 26, 1944. 4F. R. PAGE mL KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed Dec. 30, 1942 10 Sheets-SheetV 5 1366.261944. 6 F.,R.PAG'E ETA'. l 2,366,124

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed Dec. so', 1942 1o sheets-sheet 6 FRANK R.PAGE

JOHN J. McDONOUGH -Pzez'r aZ-arrzeys Dec. '26, 1944.` F, R, PAG E1- AL 2,366,124

NITTING MACHINE AND METHOD oF OPERATING SAME Filed Dec. 30, 1942 l0 Sheets-Sheet 7 Zvenons FRANK R. PAGE JOHN J. MCDONOUGH @y qz'raorwzeys MMM Dec, 26, 1944, P R. PAGE z-:TAL

' KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAM Filed Dec. 3o, 1942 1o sheets-sheet a n m ,Q

Dec. 26, 1944.

F. R.v PAGE ET Al. 2,366,124 KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD OF OPERATING SAME Filed Dec. so, 1942 1o sheets-sheet 9 Zzvenons' FRANK R. PAGE Dec 26, 1944.

F. R. PAGE ETAL 2,366,124

KNITTING MACHINE AND METHOD 0F OPERATING SAME Filed Dec. so, 1942 A 1o sheets-sheet 1o Z'nven'as FRANK R. PAGE JOHN J.MDONOUGH l Patented Dec. 256, '1944,

KNIVTTIN G MACHINE' AND METHOD 0F i OPERATING SAME Frank R.. Page, Laconia, and John J. McDonough, Belmont, N. H., assigner-s to Scott & Williams, Incorporated, Laconia, N. H., a corporation oi' Massachusetts Application December 30, 1942, Serial No.' 470,672

a4 claims.

This invention relates to circular knitting machines and methods of operating same, more particularly to seamless hosiery machines adapted to make pile fabric known as terry cloth. The

'invention relates to an improved machine for making terry cloth seamless heels an`d toes` for hosiery, and the method of operating the machine to produce `the fabric. In making terry fabric knit by reciprocatory knitting, such for example as seamless heels and toes, trouble has been encountered in keeping yarns feeding properly when the direction of knitting is changed. `One object of the present invention is to devise a machine and method of operating same which will obviate all difficulty in handling the yarns when knitting terry cloth by reciprocatory knitting. It is characteristic of the invention that the terry cloth produced does not contain terry i loops on the iirst few stitches knit in each course. In forming the pile or terry loops on circular knitting machines lhaving independent needles, it is customary to draw the terry loops over the topsof the nebs of the sinkers while the regular stitches are being drawn on the regular knocking-over ledge. It has been found that owing to the vertical separation rand tensions of the yarns necessary. to make these terryloops, the body yarn tends to get on top of the nebs .of the rst few sinkers when starting an oscillation of the machine, i. e., when the direction of knitting is changed. This results in cutting .of the Vbody yarn or the formation of large eyelets in the suture, or both. To prevent this difficulty a machine hasV been devised which keeps both yarns i below the nebs ofthe Afirst ,few sinkers when starting knitting in a new direction, terry loops being formed, however, on all the other stitches in the course. It has also been found that on certain gauges and sizes of machines, more particularly thefiner gauges, the yarns sometimes get out of place at the end of the oscillation; and it is another object of this invention to provide a mechanism and method to avoid this trouble. Seamless-hosiery made by using the mechanism of this invention and the method of same is claimed in the cca-pending application 'of Frank R. Page, Ser. No. 472,503, filed January 15, 1943,

for "Stocking and method of knitting-the same. Two embodiments of 'the invention will be .shown and described. In both embodiments the omission of terry loops in the flrstfew stitches of each course during reciprocatory knitting is obtained by controlling the sinkers from the needle butts. This is done in such a manner that not only is lthe number of needles which do not `15 line-gauge machines.

(Cl. ses-e3) make Vterry loops kept. uniform from course vto course, but the needles on which this occurs are varied in accordance with variations in the length of course knit, as for example, during the nar- 5 rowing and widening of the heel and toe of a seamless stocking.

The rst embodiment shown in Figs. l to 7 operates the terry sinker cams from the butts of the. needles of the inactive group during re- 10 ciprocatory knitting, while lthe embodiment of Figs. 8 to -25 actuates the terry sinker cams through the butts of the needles' of the active group. In this second embodiment will be found the means for further controlling the yarns in In the drawings: Figure 1 is a development of part of the :needle cylinder and needle butts of a circular knitting machine according toour invention, in which the butts of the inactive needles control the grad.-

- uating terry sinker cam, showing the partsjust before the terry sinker cam is inserted; the arrow indicating the direction of movement of the needles; l

Figure 1a is a v"view in side elevation of one of the terry sinker cams and needle butt reader cams of Figure 1;

Figure 2 is a development similar to Figure 1,

showing the parts just after the sink'er cam has been inserted; the arrow indicating the direction of movement of the needles; Y i

Figure 2a is a view in side elevation similar to Figure la, showing the parts in the position of Figure 2;

Figure 3 is a View in perspective of the mechanism connecting the left-hand terry sinker inserting cam and needle butt reader cam of the preceding ilgures: I

Figure 4 is aview in perspective of the terry sinkersand the yarns at the commencement of the making of terry loops; Figure 5gisI a, view in perspective-of the parts of Figures 1 a and 2a;

Figure' is a plan view of part of the cams in 5 the sinker cam cap of the machine of Figures 1 t6 5; l Figure '7 is a view in perspective of some of the partsof Figuresvl and 2, the dotted lines showing the position of the parts corresponding 'to Figserting cams oan embodiment of the invention in which the cam is'controlled by the buttsof the active needles, the needle shown being the 'first active needle and ready to go under the knitting cam;

sinker inserting y' while moving in lthe counterclockwise or rotary f1.

direction during a narrowing operation;

' acted on-by the needle butts;

' before the pick is moved Figure 24 is -,a -view in front yarns on a new principle. l U

As already mentioned, the invention 1s pecu- Figure 9 is a view similar to Figure 8, showing the parts as the first sinker to make a terry loop is inserted: 4 5

Figure 10 is a view in perspective of the rightlhand reader and sinker inserting cams of the embodiment of Figures 8 and 9; plan view of the graduating terry cam and operating lever of Fig- Figure 11 is a 10 ure 10;

Figure 12 is an inverted plan view of part of the sinker cam cap of the embodiment of Figures 8 to 11;

Figure 13 is a plan view of the needle butt reader cam of Figures 8 and 9; the dotted lines showing the position of the cam when the sinker cam is inserted; i

Figure 14 is a -diagrammatic view in perspective of the need1es and sinkers of this mbediment, showing the first needles not making terry loops but the fth needle preparing to do so;

Figure 15 is a view similar to Figure 14, showing the last needles'to knit and needles elevated(\ tocontrol the yarns;

Figure 16 is a View similar to Figure 14, with the necessary needle cams added;

Figure 17 ls a viewin side elevation lof the right-hand sinker and inactive needles ofv the embodiment ofvFigure 15, showing how the bump on the needle shank holds the body yarn above 'the neb of the sinker; l

Figure 18 is a view of' a sinker and needle, showing the position of the parts when the needle is about to pull the terry yarn below the neb to make an ordinary stitch;

Figure 19 is a diagram showing how the bump on one needle at full inactive height keeps the bodyfyarnout 4of the hook of another needle when there is no intermediate needle at low inactive level:

Figure 20 is-a development of the needle cylinder of the embodiment of Figures 8 to 19, showing the path of needles at the low inactivelevel Figure' 21 is a view similar to Figure 20, taken during a widening operation; the dotted position of the dropper pickbeing its position before it is Figure 22 is a .View `of the relation of the droppen pick and needle butts during widening to the position it 0ccupies in Figure 20;

Figure 23 is a plan view of the right-hand needle levelling cam and the parts on which itis mounted;

elevation of the levelling cam of Figure 23; while Figure 25 is a view in elevation looking at the end' of theidropper pick in its normal high rela-.

tion to its cams.

' .When a terry cloth stitch is desired on machines of the type above referred to, the sinker is y inserted at a time which will cause the neb to ipenetrate between the two yarns. If it is de-l sired to knit regular loops vwith both yarns, the

sinker is inserted at a later point where both yarns are so low that they pass under the neb. According to the present invention, the time of insertion of the sinkers is varied so as to produceplain stitches or terry stitches, by means of novelY mechanism vcontrolling the Asinkers and liarly useful during lreciprocatory knitting, and

especially when making narrowed and widened fabric having sutures, such, for instance, as heels and toes.. If it were attempted to make terry loops in every stitch in the heel and toe of a seamless stocking, the yarns would tend to get out of place and be cut. This is due in part to the necessaryV tension on the lower yarn tending to pull the loop on the last inactive needle -up`- wardly, thus causing the lower yarn to lead from a higher point and allowing the sinker neb to get under it instead of over it. Thisresults in both yarns being drawn over the top of the neb, making excessively long stitches and cutting the threads. \It has been discovered that a terry cloth heel or toe of Wholly satisfactory quality can be produced by omitting the terry loops from v the first few stitches knit in each course. Thus there are no terry loops immediately adjacent the suture in every other course. By pursuing the method set forth herein, it is possible to produce a heel or toe of terry; cloth with the terry loops omitted from say three or four needles on`each ,side of the suture, maintaining that uniform spacing in spite ofthe narrowing and widening ofthe fabric which is going on at the same time. The time element in changing from a plain to y a terry stitch is the time of insertion. of the sinker, as can be seen from; Fig. 14 of the drawings, where the fourth 'sinker from the left was inserted atthe normal time, so'that a normal loop is drawn from the terry, yarn as well as the body yarn.. The fth sinker 'is inserted abnormally early so that the terry. neb goes between the two yarns, separating them4 and leaving the body yarn on the regular knocking-over ledge and the terry yarn on the higher terry neb.

We have discovered that a satisfactory method of selecting accurately the rst sinker to make' a terry loop on each reciprocation, regardless of whether the segment of active needles lis being narrowed or widened, is to. allow the operating buttsv of-'the needles themselves to initiate the selection and to do it at a po-int circumferentially separated from theypoint at `which the sinker in` serting cam-is-located. We'nd that if the cam reading the butts of the needles is located at or near-,the knocking-overpoint, the spacing fromthe sinkerinserting Icam will be satisfactory.

The embodiment of the invention shownin Figs.` 1 to 7 is the simpler of the two .constructions and is Well suited for many types and sizes of machines. In this embodiment' the terry sinker cams are operated during the making of tapered segments by reciprocatory knittingfrom the butts of the inactive needles. The body yarn is fed very low and the terry yarnhigh, so that there is considerable separation between the yarns.. Thisrequiresja'somewhat heavier tension. on. the body'yarnthan would normally be used, and when a needle is raised to the inactive level during the making of either narrowed'or widened segments of heels ortoes, for example, the stitches on -thefshank of that needle are pulled upward `slightly. At the beginning of an oscillation the yarns therefore are higher than they should be, so the sinkernebmovesin under bth of the yarns.v Cutting of the yarns or the formation of eyelets inthe suture frequently re- Asult. To prevent this condition, the' first few needles toknit at the beginning of each stroke are allowed to draw both of the yarns beneath the sinker nebs before the terry sinkers are inserted. To keep uniform the number of needles which draw both yarns beneath the sinker nebs 2,366,124 so that the making of terry stitches will begin a constant distance from-.the edge in spite of the narrowing or widening of the segment, the time of movement of the terry sinker cams is gradually changed as the knitting of the segment proceeds. As already stated, this adjustment is automatically obtained .from the inactive needle butts.

As can be seen in Figs. 1,.1a, 2 and 2a, the AVtimed operation is obtained from the butts n2 of the inactive needles by putting a movably mounted reader cam 40 or 48' in the path of `the butts of the inactive group, so that when those butts push the cam 48 or- 40', the sinker cam 84 is retracted, and when the inactive butts have Vpassed beyond the reader cam 48 or 40', that cam will drop down and the sinker cam will be inserted. Below each of these pivoted reader cams is a' support cam 88 or 80 which serves at once to hold the needle' butts at their level so that their oscillatory movement circumferentially of the machine can effectively lift these cams without'movlng the needle vertically, and also to limit the dropping movement of the cams when 'the needle butts have passed. In Figs. 1 and 1a the needleibutts are shown passing under the cam 48 so that the cam is raised and the terry sinker cam 84' retracted; while in Figs. 2 and`2a the inactive needle butts have just passed the cam 40 and that cam therefore is dropped to its lowerl position where the terry sinker cam is insex-ted In Fig. 2 the direction of movement of the needles is from left to right, and it will `be observed that about three active needles have passed beyond the stitch-drawing point although The reader cam actually is mounted on the low'er end of a lever 82 which serves as a terry sinker cam-operating lever, and that lever is the element which is pivoted at the point 8l, the cam 88 being mounted on a bracket 85. To the upper end of the lever 82 is fastened a toe 83 which is the portion of the terry sinker cam-operating lever that actually engages the sinker cam 84.

It is held in engagement by a tension spring 91.

This cam 84 is adapted to push inwardly only the sinkershaving long butts, and the device is so 'manipulated that it functions only during the -V heel, toe and high splice, while other mechanism (not shown in` these particulariflgures) operates onf all the sinkers at certain other points in the making of a stocking. This other camis indicated by the reference character` 86 in Fig. 6. The two cams 84 and 86 are fastened by a shouldered collar 8 1 to a platformen the side of the regular sinker cap 300 (see Fig. 6). Each cam is held out of action when not making terry loops by a coiled spring 88 (see Figs. 5 and 6). It will the cam 4B has only just dropped oil the inactive and at its outer end 8| is pivoted the cam 40.

be understood, of course, that the mechanism which hasbeen described is actually on the machi'ne in duplicate, one set working when the machine is turning in one direction, and the other working when the machine is turning in the lother direction. The control mechanism idling thevround-andsinker cam 84 is shown in Fig. 3, being operated from the thrust rod 468, which in turn is controlled by a seriesof cams on the main pattern drum |28. The insertion of the round-andround terry sinker cam 88 is obtained from the thrust rod 480 by bell crank lever 89 fastened to the upper end of the thrust rod and connected to a slide link 98 by a shouldered screw 9|. This bell crank lever 89 is pivoted by a shoulder screw 93 in a bracket 94 mounted on the latch ring a bracket 92 which is carried -near thesinker cam 84. The round-and-round terry sinker cam 86 can be used, for example, to -rnake `terry loops all around duringthe ring toe, if desired.

To hold both terry cams outof action during the knitting of the leg, a lever 95 on the gap- 4closer shaft is perated by adjusting plate 96 Fig. 4. The nebs 293 are adapted to receive the t'erry yarn Y2 on their upper edges in the notches 294. The body yarn Y1 is fed from a yarn finger F1 resting in a notch 56| cut inthe throat plate 559. The terry yarn Y2 is fedfrom a yarn nger F2 fed at an elevation above the normal surface of the throat plate. from the left is fthe first one which is inserted early enough to make a terry loop.

The right-hand reader cam 40' and support i cam 88 are similarly mounted (Figs.'1 to 2a and 5). The pivot point 8l' supports the reader cam, the whole being carried on the bracket 85'. The right-hand sinker cam is shown at 84'.

The operation4 of the device is as follows. When. knitting the leg the terry cam operating llever 82 is held out of action by the high pattern drumcam 50| until the high splice is reached,v

keeping the thrust rod 460 raised. At the begin-K4 ning of the high splice the thrust bar drops onto a low step on the pattern drum cam, allowing the control lever `9 5 to push the toe 83 against the terry sinker cam 84, thus pushing the terry sinkers in. At the beginning ofthe heel the instep needles are raised` out of action by the usual switch raising cam (not shown), and as they pass between the support cam and the needleoperated cam 4 0, they raise this latter cam. This carries the toe 83 away from the terry sinker cam 84. At the beginning of the counter-clockwise stroke, after the first few needles have drawn both lterry and body yarns beneath theV sinker needles (as shown, forfexample, in Fig. 4) the last inactive needle N211 passes from under` the toe Vof the cam 4D and a tension spring 91 draws the toe 83 of the sinker-operating lever 82 against the graduated terry sinker cam l84. This pushes. the sinker nebs between the terry and body yarns. There is a tension :spring 98 pulling the thrust rod down when it rides off the cam on the main pattern drum.

vIn the ring `toe when the thrust bar 488 drops 4olf the low step en the drum cam onto the surface of. the lpattern drum, the thrust bar allows the sliding link 90 to be pushed against the lower terrysinker cam 88 in order to push all the sinkround terry sinker cam 88 and the graduated Said connecting link is fastened Ato In Fig. 4 the fourth sinker 294 of the sinker neb 293'.

ers into action to begin the making of terry cloth. The Vsecond embodiment of our invention is shown in Figs. 8 to 25, inclusive. 'I'his is the form l which uses the butts n1 of the active needles. Asl in the previous embodiment, it is necessary to feed the two yarns from distinctly different elevations at the throat plate 559. Thus in Fig. 14 the body yarn Y1 is fed fromthe s'amefinger F1 in the same notch 56| in the throat plate, as in the rst embodiment, and the terry yarn Y2 from the iinger F2 The sinkers 292 in the machine have nebs 293' which are modied in shape to permit the making of terry cloth. The upper surface 294' of the neb is fiat. .The lower surface of the neb is a substantially straight line tapering down to the throat of the sinker. The end of the nose or neb is somewhat pointed so that it can easily enter between and separate the yarns Y2 and Y1, as shownfor instance by the fifth sinker 292' from the left. The active needles are designated by the reference numeral N1, and the last inactive needle by thecharacter N21. As can be seen in this ligure or Fig.. 18,l once the needles have pulled the yarns down over the knocking-over ledge, then insertion vof the sinker will cause the formation of an ordinary stitch.

In Figs. 8 and 14 is shown the left-hand terry sinker cam 30, i. e., the one which is\in use when the cylinder is turning in a counter-clockwise direction. The'flrst angle or edge 32 of the cam to contact the sinkers pushes the sinker nebs between the terry and body yarns. The second angle or edgev 33 pushes the terry sinkers in deeper and ahead of the time when they would be inserted by the regular sinker side cam. The purpose of this second or deeper insertion is to slacken thebody yarn loops when making a terry seam, in order to prevent loose loops of yarn showing on the face of the fabric.

It will be observed from Fig. 14 that the machine with the novel cammingarrangement is so adjusted in this instance that the rst terry loop to be formed occurs between the fourth and fifth needles away from the last inactive needle N21,

' i. e., the pointA at which the seam or splicewill be formed. In other words, the time of insertion of the left-hand sinker cam is such that it is the fifth sinker from the last inactive needle N21 which is the first one to be pushed in early enough to separate the terry yarn from the body yarn, so that the terry yarn l'oop is drawn over the top In Fig. 9 the first active needle is just being knocked'over and the cam 30 is pushing in the first sinker to make a terry loop. However, there are in Fig. 9 three ad'- ditio-nal sinkers-(not shown) between the needle and sinker shown in that ligure. The cam 30 itself is pivotally mounted at the outer edge of the sinker capv 300; as already described, and operates radially inward through a slot in that cap.

The right-hand terry sinker cam 3| is similarly mounted, facing in the opposite direction, of course (Fig. 11).

The mechanism transmitting motion from the butts n1 of the active needles to this terry sinker cam 3| will be traced next. We locate the lefthand needle butt reader cam 4| underneath the` stitch cam 360the contacting portions of the reader cam beginning at the knocking-over point and extending a short distance beyond same (see Figs. 8, 16,120 and 21). The exact shape of the reader cam can beseen in Fig. 13, from which it(A appears that the cam 4| itself is mounted on an 43 plvoted on the bedplate B of the machine. The

contact from` this bell crank lever 43 to the terry sinkerinserting cam 30 is through a bell crank lever 44 pivotally mounted on a horizontal axis on the left up-pick bracket 85. The lower arm of the lever 44 lies in back of thev arm of the lever 43 and is so mounted that when the reader cam 4| is pushed radially outward, the upper arm of the bell crank lever 44 rises. The end of this upper arm is connected by a link 45 to a terry sinker operating lever 46. This lever 46 is pivoted on the latch opener bracket 540 which is radially behind the left up-pick bracket 85. This lever 46 has an adjusting toe 48 on its end which is located above the pivot point 49 of the lever just mentioned, with the result that when the needle butt reader cam 4| is pushed radially outward, the upper arm of the bell crank lever 44 moves upward and the adjustable toe 48 of the terry sinker operating lever 46 pushes the cam 30 into action. y

The control means just described are needed of course only during reciprocatory knitting so the control of the terry sinker cam 30 'by the needle butts is held out of action at al1 times ex- `cept during the making of heels and toes. The

control is from the main pattern drum and is connected to the needle butt reader cam 4| through the rear'arm of the bell crank lever 43 carrying the reader cam 4| (Figs. 8 and 9). Coming upwardly from the main pattern drum (not shown) is a pivoted bell crank lever 46| operated by cams on this main pattern drum When the lower end of the bell crank lever 46| rides onto a cam on the main pattern drum, the upper end of the lever draws back. This withdraws a collar 5| on a wire 5|) attached to the lever, from contact with a stud 52 on the rear arm of the bell crank lever 43. As a result the reader cam 4| is pushed into the path of the butts of the needlesV by a tension spring 53 fastened to the lever 45. This also positions for action the toe 48 on the terry sinker cam operating lever. n When the foot of the bell crank lever drops o the drum cam, a heavy spring (not shown) connected between the lever and the bedplateB of the machine pulls the upper end of the lever forward so that collar 5| on wire 50 operates against the stud 52 moving the lever 43 and retracting the reader cam clear of the butts of the needles. In addition the movement 'of lever 43, acting through the lever 44 on the lifter up-pick bracket,

carries the toe 48 of the sinker operating lever 46 below the terry sinker cam l30 and out of operative position, It might be further pointed out with regard to themanner of operation of this control that the manner of adjustment shown in the drawings is based on the fact that the active needles during the making of heels and toes on this machine have'relatively short butts and the idle or inactive needles have long butts. The adjustment therefore is such'that the toe of-the operatinglever 46 will cause the terry sinker cam 30 to insert sinkers early when the reader cam 4| is engaged by a short needle butt n2. If5 a. long 1 needle butt wereto engage the reader cam, it

adjusting plate 42 fastened to a bell crank lever 7 5 would cause the toe 48 of the operating lever '46 to be carried beneath the terry sinker cam 30.

The operating means above described for Vthe A terry sinker cam can be identified as the graduating attachment. If Ait is 'desired-to splice sectionally without varying the number of needles spliced, it is possi-ble to hold the terry sinker cam in action by a regular double-sole slackener lcam operating arm which is fastened to the usual gapcylinder is turning inA a. counter-clockwise or rotary direction. The sinker cam 3| to be described operates on what is known as the reverse side, which is when the machine is turning in a clockwise direction during reciprocatory knitting.

The right-hand needle butt. reader cam 4|' is located under the leading'stitch cam 36| in a position corresponding to the location of the reader cam 4| under the left-hand stitch cam 360. The righthand reader cam 4| isA mounted and inactive group, or vice versa, to control the moment of insertion or removal of the sinker inserting cam for making terryloops. (It will be understood of course that there is a regular sinker cam in the machine which inserts at the regular time any sinkers which were not inserted early.) It will be observed that operating on this principle, the selection or moving of a needle into or out of the active segment of needles automatically readon an adjusting plate'55 which is fastened to`a lever 56, one spur of which is engaged bythe lower arm of a bell crank lever 51 pivoted on a horizontal axis o-n an arm 58 carried by the righthand up-pick bracket 85. The arm 58is stationary and not only acts' as a support for the bell crank lever 51 but also as a pivot point for the terry sinker cam operating lever 60. The connection between the bell crank lever 51 andthe sinker cam operating lever 60 is a linkage 59 adapted to cause insertion of the sinker cam` when the needle butt reader cam 4| is engaged by a needle butt. The operating lever has an adjusting toe 6| similar to the operating lever '46 for the left-hand terry stitch cam.

As in the case of the Aleft-hand sinker cam, `it

is necessary to provide mechanism to hold the' graduating attachment out of action, 4and again this is controlled from the main pattern' drum. A thrust rod 460 acting through a cam. 62 on its upper end causes rotation of a short horizontal shaft 63, which moves forward a short arm '64 carried on the shaft, pushing a control link 65 which is connected by a shouldered screw 61 to the rear end of lever 56. This link 65 holds the reader cam out of action with the toe 6| on the operating lever below .the .terry sinker cam 3|.

There is a .tension spring 66 on the back end of the operating lever 60 to raise it Ato operative position when released by the mechanism just described. 'I'he cams on the main pattern drum are so adjusted that the graduated attachment on the right. side of the machine -just described is moved out of actionduring the make-up of the stocking to allow a dividing cam (not shown) to 4be inserted to carry the divided needles beneath the so-called reverse stitch cam 36| on the right side of the machine.

It. will be seen that the circumferential separation ofthe needle butt reading cam and the sinker cam determines the width of the narrow band adjacent the suture in which terry cloth loops are not formed. The manner in which the sinkers are selected by the needles and the band where terry loops are notformed is kept of'uniform width in narrowed or widened segments of the heel or toe,V will be described next. This is accomplished by taking advantage of the fact that during--.reciprocatory knitting the butts of the active needles form a group at one level and thelbutts of the inactivev needles form a group at control .the insertion and removal of the terry vjusts the point at which the terry cloth loops will begin to be formed, thus maintaining the proper width of non-terry cloth band adjacent the suture. Thus it will be seen that the sinker` to be selected is the one passing the terry sinker inserting cam at the moment that the dividing line between the active and inactive segments of needle butts are passing the needle butt reader cam or the knocking-over point. It might be noted at this point that the omission of terry loops in a course vin a heel or toe occurs at'only one end of the course. Thus when knitting away from the suture, the loops are omitted at the rst few needles at the` leading end of the seg-merit of active needles, and the eiect of the circum-l ferential separation ofthe reader cam :and the sinker inserting cam is to cause a few sinkers beyond the last inactive needles to be inserted early without affecting the knitting.

It will be noted that there is a unique combination of controls in that the variable terry cam is operated by the needle butts as described,

but idled -by the main pattern drum which directly controls the formation of terry4 cloth in other parts of the stocking.'

To avoid clipping the yarns, it has beenfound advisable in line-gauge machines to raise both body and terry yarns above the nebs of the sinkers active level. (See the needle N, Fig. 15, and the needle in Fig. 11.) In Fig. 15 the right-hand needle N22 is at the inactive level, and it will be observed that the lower yarn is held radially outward by the hump 16 (see Fig. 1'1). The hump also. serves to raise the lower or'body yarn sufficiently sothat it is above the sinker nebs at the time they are inserted by the terry sinker cams. In other words, the hump on the needle raises and pushes the body yarn out and above the sinkers., thus preventing the body yarn from -being crinkledl while the needles are inactive, and

being subsequently clipped. It is found .that this pushing of the yarns radially outward causes the terry yarn to be pushed clear of the hook of the last active needle, if done too lclose to the last active needle. (The body yarn is kept from being thrown out of the hook because the last terry sinker which took the body yarn pushes the body yarn downward and inward.) It is also found that at the-beginning of the stroke in thenext direction the crook or hump in the needles will throw both yarns out of the first needle which is supposedto knit them. This can occur because the terry sinkers are not inserted immediately and the body yarn is not guided 'downwardly and inwardly. Both these diiliculties can be overcome by temporarily plaic-` ing the inactive needle adjacent the active needle at a slightly lower level. l

Prevention of throwing olT of the yarns from the rst needle to knit in spite of the hump on the needle is obtained by special vertical manipulation of the needle with the resulting movethis rst inactive needle at a'level not quite so .l

high, the hump in the shank of that needle is low enough so that it does not push the yarn out of ythe path of the active needles following it (see Fig. 16).

The other condition in which the hump might throw yarn out of a needle which is to knit occurs Where the last active needle is followed by in- -active needles whose humps are being used to keep the two yarns Vabove the nebs of the sinkers. This is shown in Fig. 15. Similarly to the means and method of preventing the hump from throwing the terry yarn out of the hook of the last needle to knit, the rst needle to knit is taken care of by having the rst following inactive needle drawn down a little Vfrom the inactive level. D

The construction which modifies the elevation of the last inactive needle preceding a group of active needles at a lower level than usual is as follows. Normally in most machines of this type the 11p-picks 6540 which raise needles to the inactive level one at a time during the narrowing operation, do no raise the butts of their needles to the full inactive level. They merely raise the butts until they are above the point of the top center cam, and the curved top of the center cam raises the needles the rest ofthe way to what is 'known as the inactive level. In the modified construction which we have devised, the top center cam 351' is cut downin height so that a needle brought up to it by a raising pick 650 will be raised by the topcenter cam only to a point where the hump on the needle will not keep the incoming yarns from the iirst needle to knit. After the needle raised by the pick 650 has passed the top center cam 351 itis raised by a pivoted auxiliary side cam 21er 29 to the regular inactive height where the stitch around the needle shank will rest below the hump (see Fig. 16). In this figure the last inactive needle N21is shown in two positions, namely, the low inactive level corresponding to the reduced height of the top center cam, and the full or normal inactive level which is shown in the needle at the left of the figure. The progress of the needles in this ligure is from right to left. The complete layout of the modified ca'm and picker mechanism for controlling this low-level action is shown in this ligure where the 'needles are turning in the counter-clockwise or rotary direction, and in Figs. 20 and 21, where the machineis -turning in a clockwise direction. We have already mentioned that the raising of a needle to the low inactive level by an up-pick is employed. 'I'his takes care of than offset by the action of the dropper pick. which will be described.

The lowering of the rst inactive needle N23 to the low inactive level is caused by the dropper pick 2IB which is shown in Figs. 20, 22 and 25. We will rst describe the manipulation of this dropper pick during the knitting of the narrowing segment of the heel, this being shown in Fig. 20. The dropper pick is of the two-level type and is operated at all times during the making of the heel and toe. During narrowing of the heel, itA is held down to the low level shown in Figs. 20, 22 and 25 by ca'ms on the main pattern drum acting through the usual dropper control iinger (not shown). When thus held down, the regular or lower lip 2| 9 will be below the normal inactive needle level, as shown in Fig. 22. The contact of the leading inactive needle N23 with .the upper lip 220 causes the dropper to move sideways in accordance with the cam surfaces 685 shown in Fig. 25, and to be lowered thereby to the level of the pick shown in Fig. 20, after which the dropper pick swings sideways and away from the needles due to separation of the needle circle and thearc of movement of the pick. This leaves the first inactive needle at the low inactive level shown in Fig. 15, where its hump is low enough so that it will not throw the terry yarn outward away from the hook of the last active needle. Continued rotation of the' machine in the direction of movement shown in Fig. 20 causes this partially lowered inactiye needle to pass inside the switch cam 4|5, after which it strikes the levelling cam 21 adapted to act on needles of this level when the machine is turning in the forward direction. This levelling f cam 21 then swings aside and allows the needle to pass by virtue of the mounting shownk in Fig. 16. The

needle then passes over the cut-down top center cam 351' and is raised again to its full inactivethe companion ylevelling cam 29. On

height b the stre or oscillation in the other or forward direction, the upper lip 220 on the other side of the dropper pick 2| 8 engages the leading inactive needle in that direction; partially lowers it, and that needle vknocks aside the levelling cam 29, passes over the top center cam 357' and is raised to its full inactive height by the levelling vcam 2".,V

During the making of a widened segment of the` heel or toe, the vdropper pickwperforrns its usual widening -function without ceasing to provide an inactive needle at the low inactive level, asjust described. This is 4accomplished by causing the dropper control finger (not shown) to allow the dropper pick 2I8 to rise to its full height and'to l operate from that level during the making of the widened segment. As shown by the dotted line position of this dropper pick in Fig. 21, a

the matter of both yarns 'being thrown out of the rst active needle at the beginning of the4 stroke during the narrowing operatic In the machine as constructed, this lifter pick operation continues through the widening segment of the heel or toe, as well as through `the narrowing, the narrowing thus Caused being more lower or regular lip 2I9engages two butts n1, and the extent of movement of the dropper is'such that those two needlesare lowered to join the active segment by passing under the top center cam 351.- As the dropper is pulled down under' the combined action of the butts of the rst inactive needles and the cam surfaces --685 in Fig. 25,. the third needle in that inactive segment becomes the leading needle and is pulleddown pa/rt way to the so-called inactive level, as set forth in the above description in connection with Fig.20.

In this way the terry yarn is not pushed out A of the hook of the last inactive needle on an oscillationin either direction during either the nar- I rowed or widened segments of. the stocking.

The mounting and manner of construction f the levelling cams 2l and 29 above referred to are shown in more detail in Figs. 16, 23 and 24. The forward levelling cam 29 is pivoted on the dividing cam slide .cover plate 36, which is flxedly mounted' on the bedplate B of the machineLthe levelling cam being pivotally mounted thereon, and the rear end of the cam being held by the ltension of a spring 31 so that it tends to stay in its operative position, as shown in elevation in Fig. 24. It will be noted, however, that coming r from theside the needles approach it when the machine is rotating or turning in -a countermounting at theleft side of Fig. 16. -This levelling cam 21 is pivotally mounted on a'stud 38 in the cam ring, and. there isassociated with this pivotal mounting a tension Aspring 39- tending to pull the cam into, its operative-position.

What we claim is:

. e 7 the progressive narrowing and widening' of the active group, in combination with sinkers adapted to cause the knitting of terry loops when inserted earlier than usual, a cam adapted to insert the.

' 5 sinkers early and means operating said sinker cam clockwisedirection, the face of this cam 29 is 1. In aicircular knitting machine, independent needles, `butts on said needles and means causing differentiation of said butts into groups, in combination with sinkers adapted to form terry loops when inserted earlier. than usual,` a cam-adapted A to push sinkers in'early and means actuated by the butts of at least one of .said groups to cause insertion of said sinker cam during part of a revof."

lution of themachine. l

2. In a circular knitting machine, independent needles, butts on said needles, means separating said butts vertically' into groups and sinkers adapted to form terry loops when inserted earlier than usual, in combination with a cam adapted to insert sinkers early and means adapted `to -cause insertion of said sinker cam at varied times,

controlled by the" butts of one of vsaid needle,

groups.

6. In a circular knitting machine adapted to knit heels and toes by reciprocation with narrowing and widening of an active needle group, sinkers adapted to make .terry loops when in. serted earlier than usual, a sinker cam adapted to cause early insertion ci the sinkers, Aand needles and operating. butts on the needles. in combination. with a cam reading the butts of the active needles actuating-said sinker cam, whereby said singer cam is inserted in fixed time relation to the passage of the leading active needle.

l '1. In a circular-'knitting machine adapted to knit heels and toes by reciprocation with narrowing and `widening of the inactive needle group, sinkers adapted to make terry loops when inserted earlier than usual, a sinker cam adapted to cause such early insertion of the sinkers, neef dies and operating butts thereon, in combination with a cam reading the butts of the active needles actuating said sinker cam, whereby said .sinker cam is inserted in ilxed time relation to thepassageof the leading needle of the active group.

8.. In a circular knitting machine adaptedto knit heels and toesby reciprocation with narrowing and Widening of an active needle group, 'sinkers adapted tomake terry loops when inserted earlier than usual, 'a sinker cam for each .35 direction 'of knitting adapted to cause such earlier y l insertion,- independent Vneedles and operating butts thereon, in combination with a needle butt reader cam for each direction of knitting adapted to cause insertion of the corresponding vsinker 40 camwhen needle operating butts are passing lsaid means being actuated by the needlebutts at one level. 4

3. In a circular knitting machine adapted to knit in reciprocatiom'a circular series of independent needles having operating butts thereon and means adapted to separate said needles vertically into active and inactive groups for recipf rocatory knitting, in combination with sinkers' adapted to cause the formation of' terry loops when inserted earlier than usual, a cam adapted to insert sinkersgearly and means operated by the butts of one of the groups of needles adapted to cause insertionof said sinker cam at var'ied times.

.4. In a circular knitting machine, independent needles, butts on said needles, means separating.

said needles vertically into active and inactive groups and sinkers adapted to form terry loops when inserted earlier than usual, in combination with a c am adapted to insert sinkers early and means actuated by the butts ofone of the aforesaid needle groups to 'cause insertion of said sinker cam, said sinkercam being located at 'a different effective point on the needle circle than the means actuated by the needle butts, whereby the point on'the fabric where terry vloops begin responding to the groups of active and inactive .needles for reciprocatory knitting, means causing. 75 inactive level needles approaching it from the under the knitting cam.Y

9. In a circular knittingmachine according to claim 8, the locating of the needle butt reader cams at points circumferentially later than the 45 corresponding terry sinker cam, whereby the terry loops are omitted on the'first few stitches of the course. I'

10. In a circular knitting machine adapted to knit heels and toes by reciprocation with narrowing and widening Iof an'active needle group,

two yarn nngers feeding yarns at different ele-A vations, sinkers and independent. needles having humps on the hook side of their shanks, in combinati'on with needle-manipulating means adapt- 3"5 ed to place a selected needle at a, low inactive level in order that the hump may guide the upper yarn with relation to the sinker, and other cam means adapted to raise saidneedlehigher after 'passing the point where the yarn reaches the 00 sinkers.

f'level and an auxiliary cam 'on each side of the top center cam adapted-to raise to the normal s inactive level needles` approaching it from the top center cam side.

12. A circular knitting claim 10 in which the needle manipulating means comprise in part a top center cam 'which leaves needles passing over it at the low inactive level and-an auxiliary. caml on each side of the top centervcam adapted to raise to the normal machine. according to top center cam side, said auxiliary cams being adapted to be pushed aside by needle butts moving past in the opposite direction.

13. A circular knittingmachine according to claim in which the needle manipulating means comprise in part a dropper .pick adapted to move at least one needle butt from inactive to low 'inactive level, a .top center cam which leaves needles passing over it at the low inactive level and an auxiliary cam on each side of the top center cam adapted to raise to -the normal inactive level needles approaching it from the top center cam side.

14. A circular knitting machine according to lclaim 10 in which the needle manipulating means comprise in part a top center cam which leaves needles passing over it at the low inactive level, two 4raising picks each adapted to raise the leading needle of the active group on its oscillation so that it passes over the top center cam at low inactive level, and a dropper pick adapted to move at least the leading inactive needle at each oscillation to the low inactive level and an auxiliary cam on each side of the top center cam adapted to raise to'normal inactive level needles approaching it from the top center cam side.' i

1 5. In a circular knitting machine, a control drum, independent needles and sinkers adapted to cause formation of terry loops when inserted earlier than usual, in combination with butts on chine, ,the steps of separating the needles lvertically into active and inactive groups -and selectively inserting sinkers early to separate the terry yarn and draw terry loops thereof, said selectivity being controlled by the passage 'by the knitting cams of a dividing'line between the active and inactive groups.

said needles and means causing differentiation' of said butts into groupsat different levels, cam means adapted to cause early insertion of sinkers, means controlled by the butts of the needles at one level adapted to actuate the cam means for partial courses at one point in the knitting, and means controlled by the drum adapted to actuate the cam means at another point in the knitting.

16. In a circular knitting machine, a control drum, independent needles and sinkers adapted to cause formation of terry loops when inserted earlier than usual, butts on said needles and means causing progressive differentiation of said butts into groups at different levels on different courses, means controlled at each course by the 19. In a method of making terry cloth by reciprocatory knitting on a circular knitting machine, the steps of separating the needles vertically into active and inactive groups, reading the butts of the active group by means of a cam and causing insertion of a sinker cam when the reader cam rides onto the needle butts, but applying the sinker cam ata point in advance ofthe reader cam, whereby the sinkers adjacent the rst few needles in the group do not form terry loops, and drawing terryloops on the sinkers inserted by the cam.

20. In a method of making terry cloth by reciprocatory knitting on a circular knitting machine, the steps of separating the needles vertically into active and inactive groups and causing the passage of a reader cam onto or olf of the butts of one of said needle groups to cause insertion of a sinker cam at such a position as to cause thedrawing -of terry loops on sinkers passing the cam while the latter is inserted.

21. In a method of making terry cloth by reciprocatory knitting on a circular knitting machine, the steps of separating the needles vertically into active and inactive groups, reading the` butts of the active group of needles by means of a cam and causing the insertion ofa sinker cam at a point circumferentially in advance of the readerv cam at a time when the latter is ona needle butt, whereby. terry loops are formed on all the'needles in the active group except the first fewat the leading end.

22. In a method of knitting terry cloth by reciprocatory knitting on a circular knitting mabutts of the needles at one level adapted to actuate the cam means for partial courses of varying length at one point in the knitting, and means controlled -by thefdrum 'adaptedto actuate the cam means at another point in the knitting.

1'7. In a circular knitting machine, independent needles and sinkers adapted to cause formation of terry loops when inserted earlier than usual,

butts on said needles and means causing diiferf` entiation of said butts into groups at different levels, cam means adapted to cause early insertion of sinkers, means controlled by the butts of the needles at one level adaptedY to actuate the cam means for partial courses at `one point in the knitting, a drum., and means controlled by the drum adapted to actuate the cam means at a point in the knittingdiiferent from that where the needle butt controlled means operate and to control the idling of the means controlled by the needle butts.

' 18. In a method of making terry cloth by re ciprocatory knitting on a circular knitting-machine, the steps of separating the needles vertically yinto active and inactive groups, and then causing a. cam to read the butts of the active group, thereby inserting a sinker cam at a point circumferentially in advance of the reader cam when the reader cam rides onto the butts of the active needles, whereby terry loops are formed on all needles in the active group except the rst :few at the leading end.

23.y In the method of knitting of claim 22, the added step of varying the number of needles in the active group while continuing to control the insertion of sinkers for terry loops from the circumferentially earlier point on the needle circle, whereby the needles on which terry loops are formed are varied but the terry 4loops are kept a uniform number of stitches away from the edgev of the segment of fabric being knit. f

24. In the method of knitting of claim 22, the added step of Iplacing an inactive needle following the active group at such a level that as the yarns reach the sinkers a hump on the` needle shank guides both, yarns" over the nebs of the sinkers,l whereby subsequent cutting of the yarns is avoided.

FRANK R. PAGE. JOHN J. MCDONOUGH. l 

